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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

17719 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 39 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Jan. 15).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Fri 17: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Joe Steels Trio w. Graham Hardy @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. (inc. a welcome drink & table reservation). Book at: www.drinks@thepele.co.uk. A ‘Jazz at the Pele’ promotion.
Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 18: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 18: Alter Ego + Jamie Toms/Graham Don Duo @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 18: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Repas 7 by Night, West St., Berwick TD15 1AS. 7:30pm. Free. Album launch gig.
Sat 18: Delta Prophets @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 19: Glenn Miller Orchestra UK @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 3:00pm. ‘Glenn Miller & the Rat Pack Era’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Spilt Milk @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:15-7:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 19: Tenement Jazz Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 19: Nick Ross Orchestra @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Sun 19: Freight Train (Tobin/Noble/Clarvis) @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 21: ???

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Monday, November 23, 2020

Matt Roberts BigISH Band performs Freddie Hubbard's Red Clay & more, live streaming from Ronnie Scott's - Nov. 23

Even though the EFG is ended the music lingers on and this big band set from Ronnie's indicates that it will long continue. Music and jazz have been around longer than Covid-19 and, if we can outlive The Bay City Rollers, we can outlive this!

It was phenomenal! A tribute to Freddie Hubbard's seminal album from 1974, Red Clay, transcribed for a larger ensemble by Matt Roberts (I'm not sure what the BigISH name is all about!) and expertly executed.

Roberts, a trumpet player not unknown in downtown Darlington, set a deserted Ronnie's alight with a fantastic set that moved big band jazz from musical senility to musical insanity in the nicest possible way!

Most of the top notch players soloed with Copus and Hogg acing it. Surprisingly, Roberts himself didn't solo. He didn't need to, he arranged the book, conducted and compered - what more do you want - jokes?

The saxophones were out of this world but very much in mine! Barford on tenor, Shenoy on alto and Allsopp on baritone hitting notes beyond the reach of most piccolo players! Talking about piccolos, did Millard pull one out of his pocket on the Theme For Kareem

However, on a night like this, the enjoyment was seeing and hearing such a great band in such a great venue rather than point-scoring individuals - this was a band! this was an orchestra!

For visitors to London, The National Gallery comes a distant second...

Lance

(Screenshot from Ken Drew)

Red Clay; Delphia; Sweet Sioux; The Intrepid Fox; Cold Turkey (a John Lennon comp!); Love Connection; Theme for Kareem; Camel Rise. The latter two numbers were from later albums.

Matt Roberts, George Hogg, James Copus (trumpets); Olli Martin, Emma Bassett (trombones), Owen Dawson (bass trombone); Jon Shenoy (alto sax); George Millard (alto sax, flute, alto flute, piccolo); Tom Barford (tenor sax); James Allsopp (baritone sax, bass clarinet); Matt Robinson (keyboards); Conor Chaplin (bass); Dave Hamblett (drums). 

1 comment :

Russell said...

To generate that amount of energy in an empty room is testament to the musicians' commitment to Matt's project.

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